1939 Map of Alsatia

About this map

Mississippi River hydrology dominates this 1930s landscape, where massive engineering projects like the Newman Cut-Off (1913) and Willow Cut-Off (1934) have dramatically reshaped the state border between Louisiana and Mississippi. Along the western bank, the Missouri Pacific railroad anchors a string of agricultural settlements including Alsatia, Sondheimer, and Transylvania. The map provides significant evidence of the river's destructive power and human attempts to contain it, marked by the Hollybrook Crevasse and an extensive network of levees and revetments like the Fitler Revetment. Local history is preserved through numerous family-named boat landings such as Shiloh Ldg and Dogtail Ldg, alongside cultural landmarks like Mt Chapel Ch and several ancient Indian Mounds. The presence of Fitler Bend and the oxbow at Eagle Lake illustrate the transition from active river channels to isolated backwaters in this flood-prone delta region.